Keiden
by Accursed Normal
Summary: The incomplete story of the first bounty hunter to go after Kagato ("Keiden" will be explained later)


*Note – Kagato isn't quite as impressive in this as he is in the series. I decided he wouldn't be since during the time of this story he just began his career as one of the galaxy's most well-known criminals. He isn't quite the same as in the series – I figured that he had changed over the 5,000 year period he was a space pirate.

*Note – I do not own Tenchi Muyo! or any other Tenchi series' or products that this story is based on. It is based on the Tenchi Muyo! series and the original characters in this story were created using the Tenchi Muyo! RPG and Resource Book as a guide.

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"Tenchi, I had a baby once. The father was a member of Royal Space Academy, like myself. We were both students when we got married. I loved him and felt so attached to him. Me, and him, and the baby – that was all I needed in the whole world. But you see, he was from a very prestigious family. While I was gone, messengers came from his family, and he, and the baby were taken from me.

"Lineage, social status, why should these things matter so much? That's how grown-ups are. If that's so, I'd be happier being a child, never ever growing up."

****

–Washu Hakubi

The tiny space ship sped silently across the eternal night of space, so quickly that even the stars blurred in the background. Katsuya was it's only occupant. He was the universe's most successful bounty hunter, but with over 600 false names in the past 15,000 years this fact was known by him alone. His true age was masterfully hidden in his own face, for his was that of a young man in his prime and full of energy.

He slept in his cloths on a bed that was perhaps a foot longer than his actual body. Blond locks of hair fell over his pale and well-kept face from under his hat, his beautifully constructed green eyes hidden beneath their lids. Few creatures matched his power, and fewer still his appearance. The rest of the ship resembled the area where Katsuya slept. It was a disorganized collection of garbage and harder to navigate through than space itself.

The alarm by his bed now rang, informing him that it was time to prepare for his mission. Kagato, a former student of the Royal Space Academy, recently kidnapped his professor, Washu Hakubi, while she was on the planet Todain. Washu was the Galaxy's greatest mind, and it was unsure what he wanted with her.

Theories abounded in which he had killed her in some mad rage, jealous of her mind. Others said he took her so that she could help him create some massive weapon of unimaginable power. Some suggested that Washu had even gone willingly. The most amusing idea he heard said that they had run off together on the Soja, which Washu had built, and now lived in some alternate reality where age wouldn't touch them and they could live together in their love forever. This seemed rather unlikely, as Washu was already known to be ageless and had the body of a thirteen-year-old girl.

Katsuya was awake now, looking out at the Soja – A magnificent ship, much larger and far more beautiful than his own. It was also much more powerful. He didn't expect his own ship to last very long drifting next to it, the Soja had likely detected him already. However, his ship was well prepared with a teleportation device that would send him into the Soja while a program designed to contact the ship and act like a frightened Galaxy Police agent ordering Kagato to surrender hopefully would distract him.

Katsuya hit a series of buttons on his keyboard and proceeded to wait a few moments while the program ran and got a response from the Soja. An instant after his message was received Katsuya found himself within the ship. He took from his pocket a small electronic map of the ship and moved quickly to the main room. He soon found himself standing next to an entrance to a large chapel and in it was a cool-looking man in flowing green cloths with long white hair falling past his shoulders. He was standing with very refined, dignified posture and seemed to be talking to someone. This was a good sign, for it told him that his distraction program had succeeded and gotten Kagato's full attention.

Hidden to the left of Kagato in a space in the wall was a young girl in a Royal Space Academy uniform, trapped in a stasis pod. She had long pink hair styled to look like a crab, complete with two black beads at the top that represented eyes. Katsuya knew that this must be the scientist Washu. _Good, I she's still alive. if I save her then perhaps I can even get a slight bonus on this job_ thought Katsuya.

Kagato, delighting in mocking the frightened distraction, was caught completely unaware by the ray of energy that pierced his force-field, connected with him and sent him forward a few meters. Realizing he had been deceived somehow, Kagato turned to face his attacker. "Congratulations, boy. Few are able to get into my ship unnoticed, fewer still are able to hurt me," he said, after regaining his composure.

"You deserve all the praise Kagato, you were easily distracted. I am Katsuya, a bounty hunter unknown and unequalled in the universe. Kidnapping Washu was a very foolish thing to do, for the reward that was placed on your head is worth more than a dozen Sojas."

"And just what do you plan to do with the reward, make yourself famous? A boy who could defeat the villain Kagato and save the galaxy's most precious scientist from an unknown fate – you would be a legend."

"That's not quite it. I plan to survive, live another few thousand years and perhaps buy another ship. Have you destroyed my old one yet?" Katsuya inquired.

"I saw no reason to. It couldn't really threaten me, just as you can't. So, you're really that old? It must be difficult, outliving all of your friends, watching them grow old, suffer and finally die. How many has it been?"

"I learned that lesson quickly, Kagato. Nezura and Semaraku were the only two I ever allowed myself to get close to. After they died I gave up on feelings, so you can quit your games with me."

"It must've been terribly lonely for you then. Thousands of year without other people to talk to, no one to comfort you, no one who loved you," Kagato continued, trying to weaken Katsuya's heart before the inevitable fight. "Surely, you must at least have parents."

"My father died when I was before I was a hundred, and I never knew my mother. So you see, I don't really have those either. But I've had enough of this, Kagato. You're death will bring me more pleasure then the money it will generate." Focussing his power into his right hand, Katsuya summoned a lash of blue energy the extended about three meters ahead of him. His left hand and arm straightened, pointing at Kagato. In it his power gathered and Katsuya fired a second blast at the pirate.

This time Kagato was prepared and jumped out of the way of the missile. He ran quickly towards Katsuya, creating a green blade of the with the same power wielded by his hunter. He reached him a second later, but Katsuya attacked first with his whip, easily making it past Kagato's weakened force field. But he was not prepared for Kagato to penetrate his own.

The space pirate easily passed his protective barrier and through his battle costume, his green sword entering Katsuya's body with a force he had never felt before. The ancient mercenary recoiled from this new pain and looked up to the delighted face of his attacker. "Remember Katsuya, unequaled is not the same as unsurpassed. You should never have come here. Remember, your ship is still intact, you can always flee and tell others how futile attacking me was," Kagato suggested.

"Never, you're mine Kagato!" Katsuya resolutely cried. Releasing his energy whip, which promptly faded into the very air from which it appeared, he drew his hands together and summoned all the strength left in his body to blast his foe into oblivion.

Kagato reacted quickly to this, summoning his own energy and firing it easily before Katsuya had finished. A spread of green rays flew from his hand towards Katsuya, one reaching the unfortunate man's chest and passing quickly in and past his heart. His own force field also weakened from the previous attack proved to be next to worthless in helping him resist the attack. He didn't even have enough time to overcome his shock and writhe in pain before he died.

Kagato, relieved to have won his first real conflict, put Katsuya's body in a capsule and had it shot towards the Galaxy Police headquarters to serve as a warning for those who felt they had the strength to challenge him. He then set his sight on the small planet of Lablia in a remote region of the galaxy. He read about a treasured artifact located on the planet once before, and thought it might contain something which he desired greatly.

****

(To be continued)


End file.
